This invention relates in general to antennas, and in particular to the antenna structure and the architecture of the processing of data from sensors of such antennas when they are used for reception.
It is known in the field of radar to use surface antennas with beam-forming by calculation, intended to detect, locate and classify targets or sources. Such an antenna generally consists of an array including up to several thousand sensors arranged so as to form a rectangular planar surface. These sensors generally have an identical directivity pattern. This basic directivity pattern does not have a sufficient resolution for the performance required from the antenna in location. A beam-forming device produces a combination (for example, a linear combination) of signals generated by the sensors so as to form the required elevation angle and bearing directivities.
Such an antenna has disadvantages. For a given precision of the location in terms of elevation angle and bearing, this antenna is very expensive and difficult to integrate on a stationary or mobile platform, such as a naval platform, an aircraft, a land vehicle or a spacecraft.